SIPA

On 19 August 2014, the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) submitted a report on a perpetrated criminal offence and perpetrators against N.B. and S.B. due to grounds for suspicion of having committed a criminal offence of money counterfeiting and forgery of documents.

On 18 August 2014, police officials of SIPA, in cooperation with police officials of the Border Police BH arrested N.B. and S.B. at Rača border crossing. During searches of a motor vehicle they used, 19.900 US dollars in 100 dollar denominations were found as well as 100 US dollars with N.B., suspected of being counterfeit.

Based on a verbal order by the acting Prosecutor from the Prosecutor’s Office BH, police officials of SIPA initiated activities within this case in late July this year. Since a mass placement of counterfeit American dollar banknotes into traffic in postal officers and exchange offices in several towns in BH occurred, SIPA took appropriate measures and activities within its competence for determining the facts with reference to this event, and coordinated activities with other police agencies in in BH and the region for documenting criminal offences of money counterfeiting and identification of the perpetrators.

Police officials of SIPA, in cooperation with police officials of the Republic of Srpska Ministry of Interior, quickly identified the suspects. In cooperation with officials from some branch offices of “JP BH POŠTA”, recognition of the suspects was organised based on presented photographs. It was also determined that the main suspect had used a counterfeit ID card of the Republic of Slovenia to the name of Niko Kovač.

Cooperation was also established with the Central Bank BH, which performed an expert analysis of the banknotes. The banknotes had been previously placed into market and the expert analysis determined that they were counterfeit.

During the activities within this case, a cooperation was established with members of the Republic of Serbia Ministry of Interior and Republic of Slovenia Ministry of Interior, whereby it was determined that the suspects were merely fictitiously registered in the BH territory and they actually resided in the Republic of Serbia.

The State Investigation and Protection Agency informed the Border Police BH about the identity of the suspects and grounds for suspicion against them for the purpose of delivering information about their crossing of the state border to SIPA, whereupon these individuals were stopped by police officials of the Border Police BH at Rača border crossing and arrested by the police officials of SIPA.

During the activities within this case, it was determined that these individuals placed 12.200 counterfeit American dollar banknotes into traffic in the period 22 July – 26 July 2014, or 122 banknotes in 100 dollar denomination. On 18 August 2014, a total of 20.000 American dollars were found and seized from these individuals, for which there is grounded suspicion of being counterfeit.

The State Investigation and Protection Agency, in coordination with the Prosecutor’s Office BH, will actively continue the work within this case with the purpose to determine all the facts and document this criminal offence.